Snubber



- Oc t. 30, 1945.

Filed July 27, 1942 D. M. LIGHT YSNUBBER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

BYM

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 @w 1% Ni @WW Oct. 30, 1945. D. M. LIGHT SNUBBER Filed July 2'7, 1942 w NQ MN wQN NO 4 @QN QNN QQW Patented Oct. 30, 1945 UNITED SNUBBER David M. Light, Chicago, Ill., assignor to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 27, 1942, Serial No. 452,423

22 Claims.

My invention relates to a snubber or a friction absorbing device of a form designed particularly to replace a coil spring as commonly used in railway equipment.

The general object of my invention is to devise a novel form of snubber wherein the compression spring may have associated therewith top and bottom followers each presenting a semi-cylindrical barrel or stem portion within said compression spring for frictional engagement therewith and so arranged as to accommodate a friction shoe urged in engagement with each of said portions by resilient means associated therewith.

A specific object of my invention is to arrange such a structure as that described in such mannor as to aiford a relatively steep angle of frictional engagement between said shoe and one of said stem portions and a relatively flat angle of engagement with the other of said stem portions.

A more specific object of my invention is to devise a snubber such as that described wherein an automatic interlocking means may be provided by affording abutting means on the shoe and one of the follower stems in such manner as to limit the expansion of the device.

My invention also comprehends such an arrangement as that described wherein one of the followers and the friction shoe may be afforded pin openings which may be brought into alignment in assembling the device in such manner as to facilitate said assembly after which said pin may be removed, permitting the device to expand to normal height.

Yet another object of my invention is to devise a snubber having top and bottom followers seated against opposite ends of a compression spring and in frictional engagement therewith, one of said followers affording a spring seat on which resilient means may be mounted for abutment with a friction shoe engaging both of said follower stems.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken on one diameter of my novel form of friction device and approximately in the plane indicated by the line 1-1 of Figure 2, Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1, half in section, the section being taken approximately in the horizontal plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view comparable to Figure 1 showing a modification of my novel snubber, the view being taken in a vertical plane along one diameter of the device and approximately in the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 4. Figure 4 is a top plan view, half in section, of the structure shown in Figure 3, the section being taken approximately in the horizontal plane indicated by the line 44 of Figure 3.

Describing the structure in detail and referring first to the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2, my novel snubber comprises a top follower 2 having a base 4 chamfered as at 6 to afford a rocking seat at 8 for one end of the device, said base 4 having a central opening 9 affording positioning means for the device. The base 4 may also have an annular flange affording a seat as at H! for the compression spring l2, the end turn of said spring l2 being afforded a satisfactory fit with said follower by coring awa as at I l the stem portion [6 adjacent the base 4. The spring 12 ma be of any convenient section, shown here 'as octagonal, so as to afford on the successive turns thereof friction surfaces for engagement as at l5, IS with the semi-cylindrical stem portion l 6 of the follower 2, said stem portion having the base web [8 affording a seat as at 20 for the auxiliary spring 22 which may be supported in position on said seat by the retaining lug 24. The upper end of the auxiliar spring 22 may seat as at 26 against the shelf portion 28 of the friction shoe 30, said shelf portion 28 presenting on its upper face a diagonally arranged friction surface having engagement as at 32 with a complementary friction surface afforded on the diagonal web 34 integrally formed Withthe stem l6 of the follower 2.

The friction shoe 30 may present on one face thereof a V-shaped friction surface having engagement as at 36 with the complementary V-shaped surface 38 formed on the semi-cylindrical stem portion 40 of the bottom follower 42, said bottom follower having a base portion 44 chamfered as at 46 to form a rocking seat as at 48 for the other end of said device, said base 44 also havin the central opening cored out as at 49. The base 44 may also have an annular flange affording a seat as at 50 for the bottom end of the compression spring I2. The stem portion 40 of the bottom follower like that of the upper follower may have frictional engagement as at 52, 52 with the aligned internal friction faces on the respective turns of said compression spring The upper end of the friction shoe 30 may have a vertical slot 54 defined at its lower extremity by the shoulder 56 affording abutment as at 58 for the lug 60 formed at the upper end of the stem 40, the engagement of said lug with the shoulder 56 limiting the expansion of said device and affording an automatic lock therefor after the parts are assembled.

It should be noted that the V-shaped engaging surfaces on the shoe 30 and the stem 40 are relieved adjacent the apex of the V as clearly indicated at 52 in order to accommodate working in of the friction surf-aces therealong and affording satisfactory fit therebetween.

The upper face of the friction shoe 28 is afforded a vertical pin opening 64 which in assembling may by clamping means be brought into alignment with the pin openings 66 in the web 34 of the top follower, after which a retaining pin may be positioned therein to hold the top follower, the friction shoe 2B and the auxiliary spring in assembled relationship. Thereafter, these parts may be forced into the upper end of the compression spring I2 with which the bottom follower may previously have been associated, the compression applied being suflicient to urge the shoe downwardly until the shoulder 56 is engaged with the lug 60 as previously described.

The modification illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 differs from that shown in Figures 1 and 2 in that the frictional engagement between the shoe and the top follower is at the base of said follower instead of adjacent the upper end thereof. In this arrangement'the top follower, generally designated I 02, may have the base I04 cored out centrally'thereof as at I06 to afford positioning means therefor, said base being chamfered as at I08 to permit rocking of the device upon the seat provided on said base at III). The base I04 may afford an annular seat as at II2 for the main compression spring II4, the respective turns of which may present vertically aligned friction surfaces H6, H6 for engagement as at H8, H3 with the semi-cylindrical stem portion I formed as an integral part of the top follower I02, said stem portion adjacent the base I04 being relieved as at I22 to afford satisfactory fit with the adjacent end turn of the compression spring I [4. The lowerend of the stem portion I 20 may be formed with a diagonal web I24 presenting on its upper face a diagonally arranged friction surface for engagement as at I26 with the complementary face formed on the shelf portion I28 of the friction shoe I30. The shelf portion I28 of the friction shoe may have a horizontal top'surface affording a seat as at I32 for the auxiliary spring I34, said spring being positioned thereon by the lug I33. The frictionally engaging shoe I and the web I24 may have vertically alignable pin openings I38 and I40 respectively, said pin openings serving the purpose described for the previous modification.

The upper end of the auxiliary spring I34 may seat as at I42 against the base I04 of the top follower and be positioned thereon by means of the lug I44.

The upper end of the friction shoe I30 may be formed with a slot I43, the lower extremity of which may be defined by the shoulder I48 which may be engaged as at I50 by the lug I52 to limit the expansion of said device and retainv the parts in normal assembled relationship. The lug I52 is formed at the upper extremity of the stem portion I54 of the bottom follower, generally designated I53, the stem portion I54 being of semicylindrical form and having frictional engagement as at I58, I58 with the successive turns of the main compression spring I I4, the bottom turn of said spring being afforded a satisfact ry t with the stem portion I 54 by coring it away as at I60 adjacent the base I6 I.

As in the previous modification, the stem portion I54 of the bottom follower is formed with a V-shaped friction surface tapering slightly from the vertical and having frictional engagement as at I62 with a complementary surface formed on the friction shoe I30 with respective V-shaped faces of the shoe and the follower stem being afforded slight clearance adjacent the apex of the V as at I64 in order to accommodate the working in of said surfaces to a good fit.

The base I6! of the bottom follower may afford a seat as at I56 for the main compression spring I I4 and the outer face of said base may be chamfered as at I68 to afford a rocking seat as at I10 for the bottom of said device. Said base may also be cored away as at In centrally thereof to permit positioning of the device with respect to the supporting member.

It will thus be seen that in both modifications of my novel frictional arrangement, the wedge-like friction shoe has a tapering V-shaped surface in complementary engagement with the bottom follower of the device and has a diagonally arranged fiat friction surface engagement with a web portion of the top follower, said friction shoe being urged into wedge engagement with both of said followers by means of an auxiliary spring or resilient means compressed between said shoe and one of said followers. In both arrangements the top and bottom followers are formed with semi-cylindrical stem portions having outer faces engaging aligned friction surfaces on the respective turns of the outer compression spring, the opposite ends of which may seat against respective followers. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that I may vary the angles of engagement between the friction shoe and the respective followers in order to modify the character or degree of friction developed.

It should be noted that in both modifications the excess of the auxiliary spring is arranged somewhat off the vertical as may be clearly seen by comparing the axis AB of the auxiliary spring I34 (Figure 3) with the vertically arranged axis XY of the friction device. The said auxiliary spring axis is thus arranged in order that when the device is placed under compression and the friction shoe I30 moves to the right (Figure 3) the lower end of the axis AB of the auxiliary spring I34 will also be shifted to the right. This arrangement of the axis of the auxiliary spring is such that as the friction shoe I30 moves laterally with compression or release of the device, the spring'will be equally stressed in opposite directions at the extremities respectively of the downstroke and the upstroke. If the axis of the auxiliary spring were vertically arranged with the device in expanded position as illustrated in Figure 3, the stress resulting in the lateral movement of the shoe would be twice that which results in the arrangement illustrated because the position of the bottom of the spring with respect to the top thereof would be shifted laterally a distance twice as great as that illustrated.

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exact embodiments of the device shown which are merely by way of illustration and not limitation as various and other forms of the device will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a snubber, a main spring, top and bottom followers seated against opposite ends of said spring with semi-cylindrical stems extending therewithin for frictional engagement therewith, one of said stems having a diagonal web with a friction face and the other of said stems having a V-shaped friction surface, a wedge shoe engaging said face and said surface, and resilient means compressed between said shoe and one of said followers, said shoe and said diagonal web having vertically arranged alignable retaining pin openings.

2. In a friction device, a compression spring, top and bottom followers seated thereagainst and having semi-cylindrical stems extending therewithin, one of said followers having a diagonal web with a friction face and a horizontal web forming a spring seat, the other of said stems having a friction surface, a wedge shoe engaging said face and said surface, and resilient means compressed between said shoe and said horizontal web, said friction surface being V-shaped and tapering.

3. A friction device having a compression spring, top and bottom followers seated against respective ends thereof with stems extending therewithin in overlapping relationship for frictional engagement therewith, said stems presenting diagonally arranged friction surfaces, a wedge shoe in slidable engagement with said surfaces, and resilient means associated with and compressed between one of said followers and said shoe, one of said surfaces being arranged at a relatively steep angle as compared with the other of said surfaces.

4.. A friction device comprising a compression spring, spaced followers seated against opposite ends of said spring with friction stems extending in overlapping relationship therewithin for frictional engagement therewith, diagonall ar ranged friction faces on said stems, a wedge shoe engaging said faces, and resilient means associated with and compressed between said shoe and one ofsaid stems, the faces on respective stems being arranged at different angles, one of said faces being arranged at a relatively acute angle as compared with the other thereof.

5. A friction device comprising a compression spring, spaced followers seated against opposite ends of said spring with friction stems extending in overlapping relationship therewithin, diagonally arranged friction faces on said stems, a wedge shoe engaging said faces, resilient means compressed between said shoe and one of said stems, the faces on respective stems being arranged at different angles, and abutting means on said shoe and one of said stems affording interlocking means for said device.

6. A friction device having a compression spring, top and bottom followers seated against respective ends thereof with stems extending therewithin in overlapping relationship, said stems presenting diagonally arranged friction surfaces, a wedge shoe in slidable engagement with said surfaces, and a coil spring compressed between said shoe and one of said followers, the axis of said coil spring diverging in opposite directions from the vertical, respectively, as said device is compressed and released.

7. In a snubber, a compression spring, top and bottom followers having semi-cylindrical stems extending within said spring for frictional engagement therewith, one of said stems having a diagonal web with a friction surface and the other of said stems presenting a V-shaped friction face, a wedge shoe engaging said surface and face, and resilient means compressed between said shoe and one of said stems.

8. In a friction device, a compression spring, top and bottom followers seated thereagainst and having semi--cylindrical stems extending therewithin, one of said followers having a diagonal web with a friction face and a horizontal web forming a spring seat, the other of said stems having a friction surface, a wedge shoe engaging said face and said surface, and resilient means compressed between said shoe and said horizontal web.

9. In a snubber, a main spring, top and bottom followers seated against opposite ends of said spring with semi-cylindrical stems extending therewithin for frictional engagement therewith, one of said stems having a diagonal web with a friction face and the other of said stems having a V-shaped friction surface, a wedge shoe engaging said face and said surface, and resilient means compressed between said shoe and one of said followers.

10. A friction device having a compression spring, top and bottom followers seated against respective ends thereof with stems extending therewithin in overlapping relationship, said stems presenting diagonally arranged friction surfaces, a wedge shoe in slidable engagement with said surfaces, and resilient means associated with and compressed between one of said followers and said shoe, one of said surfaces being of V shape and positioned at one side of the vertical axis of the device and the other of said surfaces extending through the axis.

11. A friction device comprising a compression spring, spaced followers seated against opposite ends of said spring with friction stems extending in overlapping relationship therewithin, diagonally arranged friction faces on said stems, a wedge shoe engaging said faces, and resilient means compressed between and abutting said shoe and one of said stems, the faces on respective stems being arranged at different angles with one of said faces extending through the axis of said device.

12. In a friction device, top and bottom followers, a compression spring therebetween presenting aligned friction surfaces therewithin, each of said followers having a stem portion within said spring in frictional engagement with said surfaces, a friction shoe engaging respective portions, and resilient means compressed between said shoe and one of said followers.

13. In a snubber, a compression spring, top and bottom followers having semi-cylindrical stems extending within said spring for frictional engagement therewith, one of said stems having a diagonal web with a friction surface and the other of said stems presenting a V-shaped friction face, a wedge shoe engaging said surface and face, and resilient means abutting said shoe.

14. A friction device having a compression spring, top and bottom followers seated against respective ends thereof with stems extending therewithin in overlapping relationship, said stems presenting diagonally arranged friction surfaces, a wedge shoe in slidable engagement with said surfaces, and resilient means under compression between one of said followers and said shoe, one of said surfaces lying at one side of the vertical axis of said device and the other of said surfaces extending therethrough.

15. In a friction device, a compression spring, top and bottom followers seated at opposite ends thereof and presenting therewithin substantially semi-cylindrical friction stems for reciprocal movement, diagonally arranged friction surfaces on both of said stems, one of said surfaces being fiat and the other V-shaped, a single friction shoe in slidable frictional engagement with both of said surfaces, and resilient means for urging said shoe into such engagement.

l6. Ina friction device, a compression spring, top and bottom followers seated at opposite ends thereof and presenting therewithin substantially semi-cylindrical friction stems for reciprocal movement, diagonally arranged friction surfaces on both of said stems, one of said surfaces being flat the other V-shaped, a single friction shoe in slidable frictional engagement with both of said surfaces, resilient means for urging said shoe into such engagement, and means on said shoe and one of said stems limiting the expansion of said device.

17. In a snubber,a coil spring, spaced followers seated against opposite ends thereof with semicylindrical portions in overlapping relationship with each other within said spring, each of said portions presenting a diagonal friction surface, a friction shoe engaging said surfaces, and resilient mean compressed between and abutting said shoe and one of said followers.

18. In a friction device, a compression spring, top and bottom followers seated against opposite ends of said spring and having semi-cylindrical friction stems extending therewithin, one of said stems presenting a diagonal friction surface at one side of the vertical axis of said device and the other of said stems presenting a diagonal friction surface extending through said axis, a

'shoe in slidable frictional engagement with both of said surfaces, and resilient means for urging said shoe into such engagement.

19. An unsymmetric friction device comprising a compression spring, top and bottom followers having semicylindrical friction stems projecting in overlapping relationship within said spring,

converging diagonal surfaces on respective stems,

a friction shoe in slidable engagement with said surfaces, and resilient means for urging said shoe into such engagement.

20. An unsymmetric friction device comprising a compression spring, top and bottom followers having semi-cylindrica1 friction stems projecting within said spring, converging diagonal surfaces on respective stems, a friction shoe in slidable frictional engagement with both of said surfaces, one of said surfaces being V-shaped and positioned at one side of the vertical axis of said device and the other of said surfaces extending through said axis, and resilient means for urging said hoe into such engagement.

21. An unsymmetric friction device comprising a compression spring, top and bottom followers having semi-cylindrical overlapping friction stems extending therewithin for reciprocal movement, one of said stem having a spring seat at its extremity disposed interiorly of said spring, said stems presenting converging friction surfaces, a friction shoe having slidable engagement with said surfaces, and resilient means associated with and compressed between said seat and said shoe for urging said shoe into engagement with said surfaces.

-22. An unsymmetric friction device comprising a compression spring, top and bottom followers having semi-cylindrical friction stems extending therewithin for reciprocal movement, one of said stems having a spring seat at its extremity disposed interiorly of said spring, said stems presenting converging friction surfaces, a friction shoe having slidable engagement with said surfaces, and resilient means compressed between aid seat and said shoe, one of said surfaces being V-shaped and positioned at one side of the vertical axis of said device and the other of said surfaces extending through said axis.

7 DAVID M. LIGHT. 

